DAVAO CITY (PIA) – The Southern Philippines Agribusiness and Marine and Aquatic School of Technology (SPAMAST) of Davao Occidental recently forged a memorandum of understanding with six partner universities in Ankara, Turkey for an international academic exchange program.

According to its social media post, SPAMAST President Dr. Ruth S. Lucero represented the state college in the MOU signing held on September 19, 2022 at the office of the Turkish Council of Higher Education.

The exchange program is materialized through the initiative of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), dubbed as "Development of Academic Exchange Programs among Universities in the Philippines and Turkey."

“The project aims to foster academic exchange programs with disciplines related to fisheries and marine sciences, capacitate faculty-researchers, and push for collaborative research projects including joint, dual, or by-research degree programs between SPAMAST and the Turkish universities,” according to SPAMAST.

The participating universities are: Ankara University, EGE University, Kastamonu University, Isparta University of Applied Sciences, Çanakkale, Onsekiz Mart University, and Karadeniz Technical University.

"This event will not only internationalize SPAMAST, but will also create a big leap for us, as this will pave way to programs such as faculty exchange, student mobility, international conferences collaborations, sharing of library and research facilities, dual/double degree program, sandwich program, and capacity building of faculty-researchers," Dr. Lucero stated.

Dr. Lucero signed the MOU together with Prof. Dr. Necdet Ünüvar, Rector of Ankara University, and witnessed by Turkish Council of Higher Education Vice President Dr. Haldun Goktaş and Philippine Ambassador to Turkey Maria Elena P. Algabre

Prof. Michelle M. Elemino, SPAMAST director for International Affairs and Linkages, was also present during the signing. (SPAMAST/PIA-XI)